Many ball and socket connectors have been developed in the past. A disadvantage of conventional connector designs is that it is possible for the ball to be pivoted in the socket to such an extent that the ball connector separates from the socket connector, resulting in a breaking apart of the assembly.
A device for limiting pivotal movement between a ball and a socket is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,676,806 ('806 patent) to Bachman. The '806 patent discloses a phonograph reproducer arm having a ball fitted within a socket. The ball defines a slot and the socket has a pin attached to its spherical inner surface. Pivotal movement of the ball is limited by placing the ball into the socket so that the pin is captured within the slot defined in the ball. However, the slot does not allow for much pivotal movement and the pin may break. This device also does not suggest interconnection of plural connectors into an assembly.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,034,809 to Greenberg discloses a ball and socket joint. The ball has a slot formed therein to receive a stop pin projecting within the socket. The stop pin may break resulting in virtually unlimited pivotal movement of the ball relative to the socket. Like Bachman, this reference also does not suggest the interconnection of plural connectors, each with ball and socket elements.
Snap together connectors with ball and socket portions are also known which are interconnected to form a conduit, some of such connectors being sold by Lockwood Products, Inc. However, these connectors can separate from one another if adjacent connectors are pivoted relative to one another to an extreme extent.